st dancers in Darjeeling? I
should never have been forgiven by his friends!"

"May I have the first 'Boston'?"

"That is for my husband to decide," she said archly with the familiar
play of the eyelashes and dimple peeping in and out of her cheek. "He
has first choice of the dances on my programme."

"We'll see about the programme when we are there," said Meredith
quietly. His position was more than he could support.

"I mean to enjoy myself thoroughly tonight!" sighed Joyce.

Meredith stole a glance at his wife and noted the feverish light of
excitement in her eyes, under which blue shadows of fatigue lay, and the
nervous movement of her fingers as they crumbled her bread into morsels.
He could see that she, too, was suffering from nerves.

"Damn the ball!" he cursed inwardly. He had no interest in it; no wish
to be there.

"Are you sure you are not too tired?" he asked her, longing for a
loophole for escape.

"Not in the least," she replied, over-doing her part by touching his
hand lightly with her fingers. It was a graceful mark of confidence and
affection which won the indulgence of all the men at that table; but to
Meredith it was deliberate cruelty. Her touch was an electric shock, and
his heart stood still for a moment while the room swam before his eyes.
He made no reply, but having finished dinner, rose abruptly, without
waiting for the initiative to come from her. Across the room was the
woman who had often hung upon his breast with her cheap caresses and
offers of love which he had been too weak to spurn altogether. Already
the sight of her flaunting charms nauseated him.

* * * * *

A 'rickshaw carried Joyce to the Club while her husband accompanied her
on foot. When he tried to engage her in conversation, he had to learn
that her bright speeches were only for others. When they were alone, she
was dumb. It was clear that he had sinned in her eyes past all hope of
forgiveness.

At the ball, Meredith went through his part as in a dream. He smiled to
order, made many introductions, and danced with his wife, and no other.
Obedient to her example, he made idle conversation while they danced
together, though his heart was on fire with longing; and when he was not
dancing with her, he could but watch her from the doorways, remembering
the existence of friends only when they accosted him; appearing
hopelessly absent and inconsequent the while.

It seemed to him that his